Rayburn students pledge to get fit

S.A. students take Go!Kids Challenge

Published 12:00 am, Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Students perform a special fitness dance as San Antonio Sports launches its 2015 University Health System Go!Kids Challenge at Rayburn Elementary on Jan. 22.

Students perform a special fitness dance as San Antonio Sports launches its 2015 University Health System Go!Kids Challenge at Rayburn Elementary on Jan. 22.

Photo: Marvin Pfeiffer /Southside Reporter

Image 2 of 2

Students perform a special fitness dance as San Antonio Sports launched its 2015 University Health System Go!Kids Challenge at Rayburn Elementary on Thursday, Jan. 22. Rayburn students, along with more than 140,000 other elementary students at 230 schools citywide, are pledging to exercise five days a week, make water their No. 1 drink of choice and eat their fruit and veggies. All Go!Kids who complete the program will get a free one day pass to SeaWorld San Antonio. less

Students perform a special fitness dance as San Antonio Sports launched its 2015 University Health System Go!Kids Challenge at Rayburn Elementary on Thursday, Jan. 22. Rayburn students, along with more than ... more

Photo: Marvin Pfeiffer /Southside Reporter

Rayburn students pledge to get fit

1 / 2

Back to Gallery

More than 140,000 students across 230 San Antonio elementary schools began the Go!Kids Challenge last week, a program designed to encourage exercise and healthy eating habits in ZIP codes where residents struggle with weight-related health issues.

The program is a partnership between San Antonio Sports, University Health System and H-E-B, among other sponsors. The challenge kicked off Jan. 22 at Rayburn Elementary in Harlandale ISD, where hundreds of kids powered through an intense workout routine in front of a crowd of dignitaries.

“This is a great program for us here at Harlandale,” said Harlandale ISD Superintendent Rey Madrigal “It’s all about keeping our kids engaged. This helps us create healthier lifestyles and choices, so it’s definitely a good (start) for us.”

Participants in the Go!Kids Challenge will track their physical activity and eating habits on a special log for six weeks. If they manage to do one of the exercises listed on the log — jumping rope, jumping jacks, running, push-ups and so on — at least five days a week, they get a free one-day pass to SeaWorld San Antonio. The challenge also includes making water the No. 1 drink and eating fruits and veggies regularly.

The SeaWorld ticket, along with the pep rally attended by colorful mascots and former NFL player Tyreo Harrison, helped get kids’ attention, Madrigal added. “I think it’s definitely about getting (kids) involved earlier, getting them educated about making good choices,” he said. “We do have a higher rate of obesity, of diabetes in our population (than average).”

San Antonio Sports CEO Russ Bookbinder said the program was designed as a practical way to get kids thinking about making exercise a more common part of their lives. “This program is designed to get kids active every day,” Bookbinder explained, “but it also provides that incentive — the SeaWorld pass — because you have to reach them on the level that they’re interested in.

“We understand the issues that a lot of different geographic areas face,” he added. “But the whole (San Antonio) community needs to get the message ... and with programs like this, we’re just chipping away on the problem.”